Not sure how to pose this or if I can accurately state what is in my head but I will try. I'm looking for thoughtful comments, not argument.
Over my years of gun owning, tinkering, reloading, casting, shooting and reading much about all the preceding I have probably encountered most all the "common knowledge", oold wives tales and outright myths related to loading and shooting cast lead bullets. I DO Not have nearly the experience some of y'all have in terms of shooting/experimenting with cast rifle bullets. All that said....
I have read/heard about gas cutting, flame temperature, bullet base melting etc. And I have read upon powder ignition dacron filler melts in the case and/or bore. Two occurances got me wondering. They were(1)combustible toilet paper used as powder positioned produced a fine white cloud ahead of the muzzle upon firing and (2) combustible cotton(ball) used fas filler produced a loud of white fiber in the air ahead of the muzzle. This got me thinking if powder combustion melts(supposedly) dacron filer or bullet bases then why are toilet paper particles not consumed by flame in the barrel or at least propelled from the muzzle as burning debris? Or the same for cotton?
There Is unquestionably high temperature present upon ignition of powder. But is the temperature present in a blowtorch like flame or is it in the mass of ignited powder being reduced to rapidly expanding gas that propels the bullet?
My sense is both but if the amount of time the heat is applied is not sufficient to ignite paper is it sufficient to produce the other effects attributed to heat/flame?
,Are the effects of ignition due to application of high temperature or to the lead alloy bullet becoming "plastic" under intense pressure?